Canadians: Spreading Love and Knowledge Across Social Media

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Canadian Hashtags
Rahman Mohamed

In their sesquicentennial Canucks are working to show the world what they are.  As a multicultural society Canadians are diverse.  Although there are persons of different backgrounds and heritages they acknowledge a common identity: Canadian.  Whether the Canuck (a Canadian not the Vancouver NHL team) is telling the world who it is or trying to learn more about the one who chose to live in the eternal Winter, messages are being spread across social media.

Many patriotic social media messages from individual Canadians began in 2017, the start of the sesquicentennial.  As a nation it had taken to the clouds in 2016.

In October 2016 Canadians showed the world it truly is a polite nation that cares about its neighbours and the world; it launched the “Tell America It’s Great” campaign  Reported by media on both sides of the border and across the Atlantic, on 13 October 2016 a Toronto marketing agency, The Garden, launched a campaign.  Using the hashtag #TellAmericaItsGreat it encouraged Canadians to Tweet and post videos to assist Americans at a time when the election was stressing Canada’s southern neighbours.  Most often using American culture, technology and character, together with personal experience Canadians Tweeted what they like about America and included the hashtag.  They also used comparisons between Canada and America.  The odd Canadian added videos and images.

Though there was the odd Aussie, Brazilian, and Brit the campaign was dominated by polite Canucks.  The hashtag campaign showed the world Canadians really are polite and helped the world learn more about the North.

Today #TellAmericaItsGreat is still strong on Twitter.  The hashtag has been used an estimated over 6000 times, most recently on 7 July 2017.

In return Americans helped the world learn more about Canada; many replied including #TellAmericaItsGreat.  Their Tweets included personal views on why Canada is great including Canadian culture, its vast and diverse landscape, as well as wishes and a desire  to travel to Canada.  Some wanted Canada as President.  Others said Canada’s #TellAmericaItsGreat was the best ad campaign of the election.

Americans acknowledged Canada being great by having more museums than McDonald’s.  There are many McDonald’s and Ronald McDonald House in the North, Canada is home to an array of museums.  Canada has 9 national museums.  Toronto is home to unique museums including the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM), Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO), Ontario Science Centre, Hockey Hall of Fame, Aga Khan Museum, Black Creek Pioneer Village, Fort York National Historic Site, and Bata Shoe Museum.  TTC even has a subway station named “Museum”.

Americans also acknowledged that Canadians really are polite.  They included some form of “Thank” or “Thanks” including #TellCanadaThanks, #ThanksCanada, and others.

A month later #WhatYouDoNotKnowAboutCanada appeared.

Beginning with a play on Canadians being polite on 8 November 2016 it has grown to over 3,500 Tweets, most recently on 18 December 2016.  It includes facts and plays on Canadian stereotypes and behaviour.

So what don’t you know about Canada?

  • Hockey is Canada’s official winter sport; Lacrosse (not street hockey) is the official summer sport
  • Canada does have police including border security although it is unknown who is actually protecting the border
  • The RCMP and local police do have guns (they don’t often use them)
  • Don’t tell anyone.  Canada does have an organization that keeps their secrets a secret from Canadians and the government.  CSIS also works with CIA.
  • Canada does have a military.  It shares resources with America.  In fact NORAD (North American Air Defence) is so well managed that it’s able to track Santa’s path around the world every year.
  • Canadians are all polite.  On 19 July, after visiting Canada House for a Canada sesquicentennial party, Governor General David Johnston showed the world that Canadians are polite.  Across Canada and even in the UK the news spread faster than the wildfires in British Columbia; David Johnston broke with protocol and took the Queen’s hand to help her down a flight of stairs.
  • Canada is multicultural
  • The British Queen is the Head of State not the Prime Minister.  Constitutionally, since 1982, the Governor General, the representative of the Queen in Canada, is the head of state; the Lieutenant Governor is the Provincial equivalent of the Governor General.  All Bills must be approved by the GG or LG before it becomes law.
  • Beaver Tails are a delicacy.  Poutine is just a side dish.Beaver Tails.png
  • The Maple Leaf on the flag does exist.  It’s green most of the year; it’s only red in Autumn.  Its tree gives great Maple Syrup
  • Most Canadians know the alphabet in English and French not just “Eh” and “zed”
  • Unlike Americans who also speak English Canadians know how to spell “neighbour”, “colour”, “honour” and “flavour” correctly.
  • The capital of Canada is Ottawa
  • You don’t nee any postage to send mail to a politician
  • Toronto and Montreal are the largest cities.  Toronto is home to University of Toronto; Montreal is home to McGill University.  Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens are both part of the NHL Original 6.  Toronto is a 6 hour drive from Ottawa; Montreal is 2 hours.
  •  The beaver is so honoured its not only the national animal and featured on the $0.05 coin, there’s a town named Big Beaver, Saskatchewan

If you want to learn more about Canada check out Nova’s Rays this year as it celebrates Canada’s sesquicentennial

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